Ironstein Eyes Second Caloundra Cup Win

Rosehill trainer Gerald Ryan will decide this week whether Brisbane Cup failure Ironstein will get their chance at a second Caloundra Cup victory Saturday week after they gallop at the Gold Coast on Tuesday morning.

Ironstein could be 2012 Caloundra Cup bound this winter

The Zabeel six-year-old won the 2010 Caloundra Cup at the Sunshine Coast after back-to-back Rosehill wins two years ago, and could be given another go at the $200,000 Listed feature over 2400-metres Saturday week.

After a good fourth to Tullamore in the Group 2 Brisbane Cup (2400m) they went on to take out the Group 3 Tattersall’s Cup (2200m) in a narrow finish over Shuffle The Cash on Tattersall’s Tiara Day.

Ryan has ruled out a title defense in the Tattersall’s Cup but hopes for a return to form in the Caloundra Cup after Ironstein finished a well-beaten 10th to Lights Of Heaven in the Brisbane Cup last start on June 9.

Prior to the Brisbane Cup let down Ironstein, winner of the Group 3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) at Flemington last Emirates Stakes Day, produced two competitive placings at Doomben when second to Hume in the Group 3 Chairman’s Handicap (2000m) and third to Fantastic Blue in the Group 3 Premier’s Cup (2200m).

“I haven’t included the Tatt’s Cup this week because the horse has had some hard runs on wet tracks and I think he needed more than a couple of weeks after the Brisbane Cup,” Ryan said.

“He did have some good wet track performances when he was in the lower grades.

“But his past four wins in reasonably good races have been on firmer tracks.”

Stay tuned to Races.com.au over the coming weeks for the final Queensland Winter Carnival coverage.